Netanyahu Defends Israel at UN as Dozens of Delegates Walk Out
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a combative address to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, vigorously defending Israel's military operations in Iran, Gaza, and across the broader Middle East, even as dozens of delegates rose from their seats and walked out of the hall in protest as he took the podium.
"We're going to win. We have no other choice," Netanyahu declared, striking a defiant tone throughout his speech. He dismissed those who left the chamber as "moral cowards," refusing to acknowledge the symbolic protest as a sign of international isolation.
Netanyahu categorically rejected allegations that Israel's military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, calling the accusation baseless. He also turned his fire on Western nations that have criticized Israel, invoking a pointed historical irony: "They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism — some colonialism. And who's accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God's sake, they invented the term."
He further directed sharp criticism at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling him a "tyrant" for supporting Hamas. The comments reflect Israel's strained relationship with Ankara, once a key regional partner.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a US entry visa and addressed the assembly via video link, offered a starkly different account of the conflict. He said Israeli policies were threatening "the very life and existence of the Palestinian people," pointing to widespread killing, destruction, starvation, displacement, and what he described as "a genocidal war."
Netanyahu's appearance came while he remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant on allegations of war crimes — a cloud that has complicated his travel to several countries and underscored the deep legal and diplomatic controversies surrounding Israel's military conduct.
The address illustrated the profound polarization that Israel's campaigns have generated within international institutions. While Netanyahu presented Israel's actions as existential self-defense, a growing number of member states have moved resolutions condemning the operations and demanding ceasefires.